Routine
by ehards29
Summary: You know, I swear it's funny how much Roy value's his routine. Royai oneshot!


Seto'sgal29: What up homies? Yet another Royai fic (what else from me?). Don't forget to make me smile and review!

_**Routine**_

By: Seto'sgal29

When Roy Mustang was still young, he could remember how much he loved the military galas. His sharp uniform, the bright lights, the constant questions about his alchemic abilities, and maybe a few demonstrations here and there. The good booze, the pretty women, it was perfect. Something out of a fairy tail. Those were the days before Ishbal, when to be a State Alchemist meant all you had to do was be a good dancer and sign a few papers here and there. And as Roy danced the night away, he never thought that being a State Alchemist would mean blood stained hands. Yes, the world was much more simple in those days.

He would remember one of said galas well, it was to be the last before the war. He had heard of the horrors of the untamed land known as Ishbal, full of savages who ignored common sense and opted to believe in a crude God instead. And he had heard that he was to be placed right in the middle of it in just a few days. But tonight, none of that mattered. Tonight was to be a night to be celebrated, and they were bringing out the champagne glasses. Several hours of mind numbing dancing had passed, and ever song started to sound the same, every women started to look the same.

And there she was.

Bright yellow hair adorned her broad shoulders; soft golden eyes adorned her hard face. She was a living, breathing contradiction. He watched her squirm uncomfortably in her dress uniform as a drunken, what appeared to be a Captain attempted to hit on her. She let out a forced smile, attempting to slowly move away from his no doubt disgusting gin breath. Roy watched the scene unfold, noting the manner in which the woman was obviously designed for the battlefield. Her small hands groped around the back edge of her left hip, obviously searching for a weapon, frowning as she found none. Her eyes widened as he moved in for the kill, no, she was obviously was not accustomed to civilian life. Unlike Roy, she had yet to realize that the ballroom was as dangerous as the front lines. And for this, he could help but take pity on her.

"Excuse me miss, could I have this dance?"

The woman's eyes shot in Roy's direction, the Captain, about halfway toward hitting the woman's lips, emitted a glare, one which only intensified as he realized that the man now making a move on his woman was none other than Major Roy Mustang, the playboy Flame Alchemist. She obviously recognized him too for Roy was forced to admit an "I'm only here to help you" toward the woman's amber orbs. She breathed a sigh of relief.

"Yes, I would be honored Sir, if you would excuse me Captain Manning."

Captain Manning was left confused as the two strangers headed toward the center of the ballroom. The almost translucent strains of Beethoven's 5th Symphony floated through the air as two lonely souls destined for chaos slowly dance, holding each other far enough to be unfamiliar with one another, but close enough to be curious. And this was the first time Roy Mustang has meet Riza Hawkeye.

* * *

Lieutenant Colonel Roy Mustang's ear's private thanked God as the brunette named Laura's mind numbing voice was replaced with the maestro striking up the band for Beethoven's 5th Symphony. Roy's mind drifted toward the days when he actually gave a damn about these functions, when the champagne actually tasted top-of-the-line, when he didn't desperately wait for the 5th Symphony.

"You'll have to excuse me Miss Johnson, but I have a prior engagement."

The woman scoffed as Flame walked diagonal across the ballroom, dodging the dancing pairs as he went. On the west wall, her brown eyes waiting, stood Second Lieutenant Riza Hawkeye.

"Excuse me miss, could I have this dance?"

Major Maes Hughes quietly laughed as the two made their way toward the center of the ballroom.

"May I ask what's so funny dear?" The questioning eyes of Grace looked into that of her husband's.

"You know, I swear it's funny how much Roy value's his routine." Grace smiled curiously as Hughes continued.

"Ever since I've known him, he has always insisted on dropping whatever he is doing and dancing with Hawkeye whenever this song is played at these things, God only knows why."

And so the Second Lieutenant and the Lieutenant Colonel floated though the droves of waltzing couples as they both dreamed of better days. Of before Ishabal, when being in the military meant just being able to sign a few papers and save someone from being hit on by a drunk Captain. And they held each other far enough to be professional, but close enough to remind them of how much they secret desired to remember of how they loved each other. And thus was their routine, their escape, their memories. And they wouldn't have it any other way.

"Yep", Maes laughed, "Roy really should find himself a good wife."

Seto'sgal29: I had to bring back Maes, cuz that's how much ass he kicks. How did you like it? R&R!


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